Olympics lift China’s air-conditioner sales by over 26 percent

(Olympics Snippets) Xinhua Beijing, March 25 (Xinhua) China’s total air conditioner sales rose 26.7 percent in the first two months of this year, to 11.343 million units, the China Securities Journal reported. Experts ascribed the rise to rapid domestic sales growth, which was partly supported by the upcoming Olympic Games.

In January and February, domestic air conditioner sales soared to 4.07 million units, up 41.4 percent year-on-year, according to a commercial website, www.chinaccm.com.

It’s been estimated that the Games in August would help drive up domestic air conditioner sales 18 percent this year.

Also, the stronger yuan and barriers to some foreign markets meant that Chinese air conditioner makers were emphasising domestic sales with stepped-up design and marketing efforts.

Wang Youning, an executive of the leading home appliance maker Haier, said: “Our company has tried to raise sales by brand building, expanding sales channels and utilising Olympics-related opportunities.”

Twelve of 13 world records broken have been by swimmers wearing the Speedo LZR Racer.

“Swimming has always been fairly pure, in the sense that it was one human being against another, but when you create a situation where some people have a technological superiority through equipment against others, I think that goes against a little bit of what makes our sport wonderful,” Perkins said.

Perkins, who won two Olympic gold medals in 1992 and 1996 in the 1,500-metre freestyle, and a silver medal in 2000 games, said his concerns were not just about swimmers at the Olympic level.

“It’s when you start turning up to school carnivals and some kids wear bodysuits and some kids aren’t.”

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Olympic photo exhibition launched in Singapore

Singapore (Xinhua) A photo exhibition named “New Beijing Great Olympics” was launched here Monday night to coincide with the lighting of the Olympic torch in Greece to mark the countdown to the Beijing Games in August this year.

The five-day exhibition, organised by the Chinese Embassy in the city-state, features over 80 pictures depicting the Olympic spirit in China.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore Zhang Xiaokang said that the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a grand world gathering of peace, friendship and unity.

Chinese people are maximizing their passions and efforts in order to deliver a grand event of “Green Olympics, Hi-Tech Olympics, People’s Olympics”, she said.

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Brazil says it will take part in Olympics

Brasilia (Xinhua) The Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) has reiterated its firm position to take part in the 2008 Beijing Olympic games.

BOC president Carlos Arthus Nuzman said in a statement that the Beijing Olympics will “write a beautiful page in the history of the Games” and the event will be an “opportunity” to promote integration between peoples, races and religions.

He also said he supports “totally” the International Olympic Committee, its president Jacques Rogge and the organising committee of Beijing 2008. Xinhua